The NEWS about the importance of strategic voting in the new riding of Courtenay-Alberni, which includes Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

Pellow writes that if voters are hoping to defeat the Conservatives, the three opposition parties should “draw a straw” to see who should be supported.

Pellow is correct that voting for a party which is unlikely to be the first past the post on October 19 could allow the Conservatives to win the riding. He is not correct that the Conservatives won the last election by a large majority.

In fact, in the last federal election of 2011, the polls that have been re-distributed to our new local riding were very close, according to Elections Canada. The Conservatives received 44.8 per cent of the vote and the NDP received 40.7 per cent. The Liberals and Greens each received less than seven per cent.

It looks to me like the NDP has already drawn the long straw as the most likely party to defeat the Conservatives in what could be a very close race between these two parties in our local riding.

Notwithstanding this, of course, is the fact that every vote should be earned.